Burning Winds
by InvaderLexigeek
Summary: Sonic is back from a 9 year trip to find what he calls 'home' is completely different. Slightly OOC. Future, not AU. Please R&R.


Sonic and all respecting characters belong to Sega. Not me.

**Chapter 1- Prologue**

_"Well they tell you: never hit a man with a closed fist. But it is, on occasion, hilarious."_

The crystal clear water sparkled as an azure hedgehog boy walked along the coast. Every so often the tide would impishly lap at his ankles, and the boy would take a few steps away from the water, then drift back as the tide went down. The boy smiled out at the ocean, gazing at its glittering surface. He detested being in water, but to gaze upon it was tranquilizing. He removed his left hand from his sweater pocket and glanced at his clunky, silver wristwatch. He sighed, took one final gaze at the sea, and sprinted off, living up to his name. His name was Sonic the Hedgehog. He skidded to a halt, so as not to run into the bright pink car that had driven in front of him. A pink hedgehog got out of the left side of the convertible. She was on her iPhone, which was decorated with pink gems.

"Yeah, I'm here now." The girl paused, and brushed her hair out of her face. "You too, bye." Sonic smirked.

"Isn't it dangerous to drive and talk on the phone?" He walked past her and sat on the hood of her car. She rolled her eyes and turned to face him.

"Maybe." She put the iPhone in the back pocket of her orange shorts. She pushed her hair out of her face again and adjusted her bright green top. "That was Tails. On the phone, I mean." Sonic leaned back onto the car's windshield.

"But… Tails said he would be meeting me here." The girl shook her head and grinned knowingly.

"No, actually he said to meet here, not to meet him here. Simple one-word mistake."

"Ah. I see." Sonic said, standing up.

"He also said that he has important data to show you, and you should meet him at his lab." The girl said confidently. Sonic nodded and turned to go. "Wait!" Sonic turned back to face her.

"Yeah?" He said as she wrung her hands.

"Well… It's just…"

Sonic gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Amy…" Sonic said softly. Amy suddenly wrapped him in a large hug.

"Sonic… It's been 9 years. I feel like I barely know you anymore." Amy choked back tears.

"… I know."

Xx-xX

Sonic skidded to a stop just in front of a small, orange shack-like house just outside of the Redwood forest.

"Heh." He pulled out his iPhone and checked the map. "Guess this is your lab, Tails." He suddenly jumped back, startled and terrified. A Gatling-looking gun was aimed directly at his face. A green light shined on him, paused for a moment, and then blinked blue. The gun the disappeared back into the ceiling.

"Hey, bud." Sonic said as he casually walked through the door of his best friend's lab, trying to act like nothing had happened.

"Huh- oh! Hi, Sonic! Long time no see!" Tails said distractedly, quickly looking back and forth between Sonic and the files he was holding. He adjusted his glasses, and that was when Sonic finally noticed the lenses perched on his nose.

"What's up with those?" He asked. Tails took a few seconds to figure out what he meant.

"Oh, these? They're reading glasses. I was reviewing these files." He held an overfilled manila folder out to him. Sonic flipped through a few as Tails began to speak in technobabble, which Sonic generally ignored, seeing as how he couldn't understand a word of it.

"Hold on." Sonic interrupted. He held up a photograph he had found in the folder. "This is a photo of eggman's base. I would recognize it anywhere. How the heck did you get a picture of it?" Tails pushed his glasses up his face.

"You remember a few years ago, when you told me to stay outside the base while you went in?"

"No."

"Well, I put a camera outside, you know, to keep a close eye on him."

"I see."

"Well- oh, here," He pulled two files out of the folder. "I'd say this is the most important file I have on record." He handed it to Sonic.

"Intelligence reports the usual coming from target base. Maniacal laughter, the sound of metal striking metal, and humming electricity. But other unusual sounds also happen to be coming from the base. For example, explosions, a female voice, and many orders of makeup." Sonic blinked. "Okay... What?" Tails nervously laughed.

"And then there's this." Tails took the report and handed him a photograph.

"Tails, this is just a big blur." Tails flipped it right-side up. "Tails, this is _still_ just a big blur."

"Yes, exactly." Seeing Sonic's puzzled face, he sighed and continued. "It's the way it's blurred. It's a person. He, also, is obviously running."

"He? You can tell it's a male?"

"Well, no. I just... Took a guess."

"Well, whatever gender it is, it can't be good." Sonic said, handing the folder back to his friend.

"Nothing Eggman makes can possibly be good." Tails unlocked a file cabinet beside Sonic and put away the folder. A cough from the doorway caused the two to turn around. "Hey Knuckles!"

"What happened to your face?" Sonic exclaimed. Sure enough, a long, thin scar ran down his right eye. Knuckles shrugged.

"Got in a fight." Sonic raised an imaginary eyebrow.

"With who? Looks like a blade cut."

"Well, who's the one person here who uses a blade?" Sonic gave him a very confused look. Tails leaned over and whispered to Knuckles,

"I don't think he was here when they arrived."

"Oh, yeah! He wasn't!"

"I wasn't here when who arrived?" Sonic clutched his forehead, getting very annoyed.

"Mephiles and Iblis." Tails and Knuckles said at the same time. Sonic nearly jumped. He jerked his head and stared out the still open door.

"But… there's no fire and destruction and stuff." Tails wrung his hands as Knuckles scratched the back of his head.

"This will be hard to explain…" Tails muttered.

"Nevermind, I'll find out myself." Sonic grumbled. And with that, he sprinted out.


End file.
